Funding
For research students with funding, the assistantship and fellowship stipends and appointments will begin as scheduled. These dates will not shift with the change in the academic calendar, which is moving back by one week. For Spring 2021, stipends and appointments are scheduled to remain on the existing schedule. There will be no gap in funding between the summer and fall appointments or between the fall and spring appointments. The previously announced 3% stipend increase is being implemented.
International students who are on assistantship appointments and who are outside the U.S. must meet certain conditions to receive their stipend. Students should review Assistantship Appointments for Students Outside the U.S. for more information.
Related FAQ
Will students still receive their stipend if a member of a teaching assistant’s family or household needs to take time off to take care of a loved one or isolate themselves if a member of the household becomes ill? (7/31/20)
If a member of a teaching assistant’s family or household becomes sick and a graduate student needs to take time off from assistantship duties to care for or grieve a loved one or to isolate themselves if a member of their household becomes ill, the graduate student should first discuss their situation and needs with their assistantship supervisor. The graduate student should also discuss their academic research and/or coursework concerns with their special committee chair (faculty advisor) who may not be the same person as the assistantship supervisor. If the graduate student and faculty member(s) are not able to reach agreement on appropriate arrangements for assistantship duties, coursework, and the student’s research activities, then they can bring others into the discussion to help reach a resolution. That includes several offices who stand ready to help, such as the faculty director of graduate studies, the department chair, the college dean’s office, and the Graduate School.
Assistantship stipends will continue to be paid; however, if the time needed to be away from academic and assistantship activities is considerable (e.g., several months or more), the graduate student may need to take a health or personal leave of absence, at which point the assistantship stipend would not continue. Faculty and graduate fields are encouraged to be creative and accommodating when exploring possible options with graduate students, allowing remote work and learning whenever possible, and avoiding probing for any personal details about a student or their household members. All graduate fields and departments are aware that these sensitive issues exist and that the intention is to reach an acceptable resolution early in the process.
What if graduate students work more than the standard 20 hours as part of this unusual pandemic response? How will this extra work be compensated? (7/31/20)
It is important that graduate assistants know they are not expected to absorb all the impacts of this exceptional fall semester by devoting more time to their assistantship duties. Cornell Policy 1.3 states that the standard appointment for a TA, RA, or GA averages 15 hours per week, with no week exceeding 20 hours. This limit is important because graduate students still need to prioritize progress in their own degree programs and, for most international students, the 20 hour/week limit is the legal maximum allowed by their visa. If a graduate assistant’s duties do approach or exceed 20 hours/week they need to alert their supervisor and develop a plan for rebalancing their tasks. If resolution is not reached, elevate the concern to the faculty director of graduate studies for the student’s field.
While TAs are certainly on the front lines for supporting undergraduate students who are struggling in a course, solving mental health crises for undergraduates is not something that most TAs have the training or ability to take on. Instead, TAs should acknowledge their undergraduates’ circumstances and guide students in crisis to the range of support services that are available for that purpose, including programs provided through Cornell Health.
Cornell leadership announced additional measures to address Cornell’s FY21 budget deficit. Those actions include reducing for one year salaries and wages in contract college units, with reductions up to 5%. I am a Ph.D. student on a teaching assistantship in a contract college. Will my FY21 stipend be reduced? (7/5/20)
No, graduate student assistantships and fellowships are not included in employee pay reductions. In addition, just for information, annual reductions range from 0% to 5% based on the rate of annual pay. Annual pay for employee salaries up to $39,999 will experience no reduction. In early spring the university announced that 2020-2021 academic year assistantship stipends would be increased by 3%, following the long term trend of 2-3% annual increases. The university has reaffirmed that there will be no reduction.
Do I need to take vacation time if I get COVID-19? (3/23/20)
To take care of your physical health, follow Cornell Health advice. Please let your supervisor know if you become ill and need to have time to get well, including if you are directed by a primary care physician, health department, or other health professional to self-quarantine or isolate, and you are temporarily not able to conduct activities associated with your academic progress, or to conduct duties associated with your assistantship.
Graduate students are not required to use vacation time available to them under University Policy 1.3 to cover time away because of illness. Graduate students on fellowships and assistantships who experience illness and need time to get well, including if you are directed by a health professional to self-quarantine or isolate because of pandemic-related issues, will continue to receive their assistantships. This includes assistantships funded by sponsored awards.
The approval process normally required by University Policy 1.3 (p.14) is not required when a graduate student has been directed to quarantine or isolate by an authorized health professional. Take the time you need to recover and be well, and to continue to practice social distancing (or isolation/quarantine) from others.
Will conference grants still be supported by the Graduate School? (3/17/20)
While University travel is restricted, the Graduate School is modifying our Conference Travel Grant program to help cover the cost of student participation in online conferences. To be eligible, student must be accepted as a presenter. The grant will cover up to $200 towards the cost of conference registration. Students are eligible for one conference grant per year. Forms are available on the Graduate School website.
Are emergency resources available for international graduate students facing financial hardship or disruptions due to the pandemic? (7/27/20)
Cornell has emergency resources available through the Dean of Students office. The Access Funds provide up to $500 per student to help mitigate barriers to accessing basic necessities and covering emergency expenses. Access Fund information and an application are available on the Student and Campus Life website.
How will the fellowship or assistantship stipends be affected by changes in the academic calendar? (7/27/20)
For Fall 2020, the assistantship and fellowship stipends and appointments will begin as scheduled. These dates will not shift with the change in the academic calendar, which is moving back by one week. For Spring 2021, stipends and appointments are scheduled to remain on the existing schedule. There will be no gap in funding between the summer and fall appointments or between the fall and spring appointments. The previously announced 3% stipend increase is being implemented.
Can we take a leave of absence for Fall '20 and Spring '21 without losing our scholarships/fellowships? (7/27/20)
There are two types of leave of absence available through the Graduate School: a health leave of absence or a personal leave of absence. Both types of leave can be for up to 12 months, with annual renewal possible for a total of four years. Time away does not count toward time to degree.
For a health leave, the original offer of financial support at the time of admission is continued when you return if you are in good academic standing. For a personal leave, the original offer of financial support at time of admission is not guaranteed when you return.
The Graduate School will offer exceptional flexibility with all Graduate School fellowship funding for students who elect to take a leave of absence, but students should verify with their field or funding source before finalizing a leave of absence. Some external funding agencies do not allow for a gap in enrollment. The NSF GRFP is one example, but others have similar limitations. Scholarship awards in some professional master’s programs may be preserved for students who take leaves, but that needs to be verified with the graduate program in advance. You can find more details on the Graduate School website, under the Policies page. If you are in a professional school, check with your degree program.
